February 2026 Volume 8

AUTOMATION

AUTOMATING BILLET PICKING IN A FORGE WITH 3D ROBOT VISION By Richard Lindsey

I n an industry where billet handling has long been one of the toughest automation challenges Milwaukee ForgeTech set out to rethink how steel billets are fed into its press line. This case study explores how this US-based forging company modernized its press line by introducing 3D robot vision to automate billet picking. In collaboration with system integrator CIM SYSTEMS and Pickit 3D’s vision-guided billet picking solution, the forge replaced a labor-intensive and noisy feeding process with a flexible, reliable robotic system. The result is a safer working environment, smoother furnace feeding, and improved operational consistency in a demanding forging setting.

A Different Approach to Billet Handling Milwaukee ForgeTech started exploring automation alternatives to the existing set-up that could deliver flexibility without excessive complexity. Rather than sourcing individual components, the forge chose to work with a system integrator capable of delivering a complete, production-ready solution. That partner was CIM SYSTEMS, a US-based automation specialist with decades of experience in robotic material handling, palletizing, and machine tending. Active since 1989, CIM SYSTEMS has worked with industrial vision technologies since the early 1990s. Despite this experience, CIM SYSTEMS had historically been cautious about 3D robot vision for bin picking applications. Previous generations of vision systems were not delivering the expected results in demanding industrial environments. The Milwaukee ForgeTech project marked a turning point - one that would require a new level of flexibility and robustness. Selecting 3D Robot Vision by Pickit 3D Milwaukee ForgeTech had already been in contact with Pickit 3D, a specialist in 3D robot vision solutions for industrial automation. Together with CIM SYSTEMS, Pickit 3D worked to evaluate whether a vision-guided robotic solution could reliably handle randomly positioned steel billets in a harsh forging environment. The decision to pursue a 3D robot vision approach was driven by several factors. Unlike mechanical feeders, a vision-guided robot can adapt to variations in billet diameter, orientation, and position without complex mechanical changeovers. This flexibility is particularly valuable in forging operations with high-mix, low-volume production patterns. For CIM SYSTEMS, reliability and ease of use were decisive. Once the Pickit 3D system was demonstrated, earlier skepticism quickly gave way to confidence. As the integrator noted, the solution proved straightforward to deploy and operate - an essential requirement for real-world forging applications. From Concept to Production-Ready 3D Vision Guided Billet Automation The final solution combined CIM SYSTEMS’ integration expertise with Pickit 3D’s standardized vision and billet handling technology. At the heart of the cell was an ABB IRB 6640 industrial robot equipped with Pickit 3D’s billet picker end-of-arm tool. Guided by 3D vision, the robot was tasked with picking randomly placed steel billets from a bin and feeding them consistently into the furnace. Two different billet picker tools - a small and a large version - were deployed to cover billet diameters ranging from 25 mm to 100 mm. The 3D vision system was installed in a protected, dust-free enclosure above the robot, ensuring reliable operation despite the harsh forging environment.

Meeting Challenges of Conventional Billet Handling Milwaukee ForgeTech is a long-established US-based forging company supplying high-quality steel forgings to a broad range of industries. Operating from its current location since 1918, the company has developed through product diversification, consistent quality, and dependable service. Like many forges, however, Milwaukee ForgeTech was facing a number of challenges around billet handling in its press line operations. Billet feeding into the furnace was historically performed using a combination of a mechanical feeder bowl and manual labor. While functional, this setup had a number of disadvantages. Operators were performing physically demanding tasks, while the mechanical feeder often generated excessive noise levels. Moreover, the approach limited flexibility and frequently caused downtime in the press line. These challenges are emblematic of a broader trend in the forging industry. Like other businesses, forges are confronted with labor shortages, rising safety expectations, and a growing need to handle a wider variety of billet sizes in often smaller production batches. Traditional billet feeding methods - manual or mechanically fixed - struggle to meet these evolving requirements.

FIA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2026 20